First Signs
by Ecchi-sama
Summary: A young girl oppressed by her strict husband, a fox god who tires of his unromantic lover and comrade. A pair of star crossed lovers take on their complex world to fight for the passionate love they've come to cherish.
1. Chapter 1

It's sad that Zone-00 isn't as big as I personally believe it should be. Then again, it doesn't seem to have much of a plot and is basically just a crack manga with all of the fan service any shounen ai fan would appreciate. And so, I have written this in honor of the spastic, fan service-infested manga that I've grown to love so much.

Disclaimer: I, Ecchi-sama, do not own any part of Zone-00. I do, however, confess that I've only read the first volume (while I have skimmed through the Chinese scans of the last 3) and therefore, some of the minor details and/or characters may not actually make sense or exist. (But hey, this is a fanfiction, right? I suppose I have the right to change around what I want to. :P)

EDIT 5/24/11: I went back and pulled out the opening sex scene because I figured if I am to make this an actual story, it'd be more fun to suggest that Konnosuke and Kiyoami are bumping each other. That, and there were a few other minor details I wanted changed. If you would like to read the original dirty version, I'd be more than happy to send it to anyone who requests it. Thanks for your understanding!

* * *

"You always know how to ruin a perfectly good night," Konnosuke mumbled.

Kiyoami lifted a questioning brow at his partner, "And what did I do this time?"

"It isn't what you did," the fox hissed, briskly walking away, "it's what you _forgot_ to do that pissed me off."

The ogre swallowed a nonexistent lump as he observed the swishing of his comrade's nine tails. He then flipped himself over, his hips becoming perpendicular to the floor, his head propped up by his upward facing palm.

The fox's ears pulled back, his eyes narrowing to dangerous, angry slits. He picked up an unused cloth to his face to gently wipe away the sweat that was produced as a direct effect of the gods' laborious activities. He then proceeded down his chest and over his strong arms.

"Why do you even care?" the ogre mumbled. "It's not like anything can happen to you."

Konnosuke froze, the cloth he had been using as a towel having just reached his knee, clenching the cloth in a futile attempt to calm his nerves. He snorted before drying off the rest of his body.

"_Damn this useless ogre…"_

Konnosuke threw down the used cloth and dressed himself before stomping out into the forest without another word to his companion.

"That burly brute thinks I'm nothing more than an easy lay."

His tails flailed about his being angrily as he made his way into the dense forest. His arms were crossed over his chest, his brow furrowed, and his hair pulled back in a loose and messy ponytail. He ranted on to himself about how much he truly hated Kiyoami and how, when he returned, he would strangle him with his thighs in an ironic twist of fate to show the ogre just how his carelessness made him tick.

Konnosuke began to slow his pace as he reached a large bridge that connected two land masses that had been separated by a strong but peaceful river. He stopped at the top of the bridge to lean over the edge, watching as the minnows that inhabited the river began to slither about in the first few rays of the sunlight.

He watched a golden koi appear from beneath a lily, slowly making its way closer to the bridge. Its face seemed upset in Konnosuke's opinion, and he began to pity it as he imagined that it too had just stormed off from a fight with his havoc wreaking companion. The purple-haired fox sighed as he placed his chin into his open palm and leaned further onto the railing, unaware of the beauty that stood at the edge of the forest on the opposing end of the bridge.

~000~

It was intensely quiet, per usual.

And yet, there was a silence that the lord of the house was not particularly fond of.

He replaced his silverware back onto the table to peer at his young wife sitting timidly on the opposite end of the long dining table, nibbling on her breakfast as she always did.

Nothing seemed out of place; her long blonde hair hung gracefully about her thin shoulders that nervously curved into her body. She kept her sky blue eyes focused on the plate set before her. Full, peach hued lips puckered in a concentrated sophistication as she chewed on her egg. There was something different about her nervousness that was beginning to irk the master exorcist. He snapped his fingers in an attempt to grab her attention, but to no avail.

"Wife," he sternly let out.

The girl's head snapped to attention, golden curls bouncing as she did so. She put down her utensils to show him that she was listening intently.

"My lord?"

He sat still for a moment, locking sights with hers, trying as he might to figure out what was off on this particular morning.

"Sharaku has informed me that you went out and about on an early morning walk."

She looked up to the stoic cyborg that stood a ways off in the distance past her husband. The machine stood tall, as always, in a way that suggested he didn't hear the conversation currently taking place.

"Is this true?"

She looked back to her husband. His expression was completely emotionless; like he too had been brought to this world as a whirring robot.

"It is," she answered quietly.

"And?" he inquired.

"I was unwell when I woke and did not find it justified to wake you because of it."

His eyes widened for a moment. "Perhaps you are with child?"

She shook her head, placing her small hands over her small belly as she turned her gaze to the ground, afraid of the disappointment she would see on her husband's face.

He sighed. Again, the room went completely silent as the two sat to wallow in their own thoughts. After what seemed to be an eternity, he rose from his seat, gesturing towards Sharaku.

"Very well then." the robotic servant walked up behind him and put on his coat.

"I will see you this evening." Her husband walked off towards the foyer when he stopped at the doorway, turning back only slightly.

"Until then."

She stood and bowed before he walked out of the room, the silent cyborg always keeping 4 steps behind him.

The girl sat back down, reviewing the horrors that had startled her awake that morning. But, to her distress, there were only recollections of blood, flowers, and sadness. She turned her attention back to the breakfast that steadily grew cold before her as a young servant girl appeared from the kitchen.

"Mistress, would you care for more food?" She knelled down beside the table and bowed in respect.

"I'm full now," the wife bellowed, "so you may clear the settings."

The girl bowed deeper and began to clean up. As she did so, her long, purple sleeve dangled about her slender arms, catching the young mistress' eye.

She watched it swing forward, back, slide down, up.

It reminded her of the beautiful beast she'd spotted at the bridge into the neighboring village.

And, now that her husband had left…

"Would you like anything else, Mistress?"

She pondered for only a moment.

"Fetch me some clean traveler's clothes," she commanded, being sure not to let her voice quiver in the slightest. "I'm going out for a walk."

~000~

To her dismay, the creature was no longer at the bridge. As she stared forlorn down the river, she caught a quick shimmer of purple and followed the riverbed downstream to where she thought she had seen it. It wasn't long before she heard a splash to be followed by a soothing chuckle.

Her heart stopped.

It couldn't possibly-

She crouched below a tree that hovered over the water, still hidden within the shadows when she found him, the creature in his godlike glory.

His body was nothing but tight muscles, wet from his aquatic adventure as he waded about in the water. His arms were parallel to the ground and at his sides as he kept his eyes focused into the water before him. He must have been looking for something; a geta maybe, or even his-

"BASTARD!"

He suddenly dove into the water, leaving the girl dazed on the bank. It was a good 3 minutes when he had yet to return, her heart beating at an uneasy rhythm. She stood from her hiding place, removed her sandals and stepped into the water.

She waded in until the water reached her knees, her hair slipping from the clip that had held it back as she looked into the dark depths before her in search of the missing fox. Closer to the bridge now, there were bubbles that began to float to the top, only a few at first that generated into a huge bundle that was soon followed by splashes caused from the reappearing fox's flailing arms.

His long purple hair was stringy and stuck to the nooks and curves of his body. He held in his hands what appeared to be a large golden koi who he soon began to hold conversation with.

"That is awfully unfortunate, my friend," he pouted, setting the majestic fish back into the water, still keeping a gentle grip on it.

"I suppose I must return home as well before that brute gets upset."

He went quiet as he stared into one eye of the fish as if the two were communicating telepathically. He smiled then and the girl blushed.

What a magnificent smile…

"Until we meet again, my friend!" the fox jeered.

"It has indeed been a pleasure!"

With those final words, he released the fish and watched it swim away under the bridge. The girl only then shook herself from her trance and tried to return to shore.

She took a step up, burying her foot in the slippery soil that made up the bottom of the bank. Taking another step, she slipped and caught herself on a nearby tree.

She turned back to the bridge, afraid that her splashes were heard by the fox and thereby putting her in danger. To her surprise, the fox was nowhere in sight and she continued to make her way out of the water.

It was more difficult than she had expected as she tried to keep as quiet as possible. _How absolutely foolish!_ She thought. _Had I not been so hell bent on finding that demon, I wouldn't be stuck in this situation._

In her frustration, she attempted to jump out of the water to climb up onto the overhanging tree branch to ultimately reach safety. She successfully grabbed hold of the branch and made her way towards shore when her grip was loosened by a slippery speck of moss on the arm of the tree.

She screamed in surprise, hanging on with only one arm and trying desperately to re-grip the branch with the other when she felt another hand grab hers. Looking up, her eyes widened in shock as the beautiful fox smiled down at her mischievously. He slowly pulled her up into his arms, carrying her down the tree and to the safety of solid land.

"What a strange human," he mewled as he set her down.

"Did you come all the way out here to see me?"

Settled on her knees, the girl blinked and gripped the wet edges of her kimono. The fox stood as tall and straight as bamboo and kept his thin, blue eyes locked on her quivering body. He was dressed in a thin, silk yukata that hung about his still wet form. His hair had been pulled back and his tail was nearly unmoving behind him.

"I must frighten you."

She shook her head and kept her gaze focused on the ground.

"I'm just surprised that you came to help me," she whispered.

"Well I couldn't simply leave you there," he said, as if he were having any normal conversation with a person of equal status. "As a matter of fact, it would be ridiculous for a gentleman like myself to leave any beautiful maiden to maneuver through such a trial on her own."

She blushed as he continued.

"Though I must say, if I hadn't been here or had your hand not slipped, I'd think you could have made it on your own." He chuckled lightly at this and looked back at her to see she was still uncomfortable.

"Tell me your name, beautiful human."

She blushed darker and tightened her grip until her knuckles were white.

"Yume is my name."

"How simply enchanting," the fox cooed, offering his hand to her. "Might you look me in the eye, beautiful Yume?"

She glanced up at his offered hand, his sharp claws glistening in the sun.

He chuckled again. "There is no need to fear me for I have no intention of hurting you."

Her head snapped back up, her eyes locking into his. The fox's eyes widened. Those bright sky blue eyes had pierced him unlike any he'd encountered before. He could feel a heat growing in his chest; a sensation that sent his mind in a whirl.

"Come now," he beckoned, his hand still outstretched. "Let me walk you home so that you may not find any more troubles, beautiful Yume."

* * *

Ooh, saucy. I think this story could stand very well as a one-shot. Of course, I have more of it planned out already, but I suppose if anyone ends up reading this, I'd be happy to write more.

I was intrigued with the conversation Byakko had with Kujo after they find Kujo's phone to see that his teacher was calling him and they start talking about women of their dreams before Rouji waltzes in. That's where this story was born and raised. Goodness I love all of the Zone-00 boys so very much. Anyway, I hope everyone has had a lovely new year so far. Thank you for reading. ;)

愛 Ecchi


	2. Chapter 2

Ecchi-sama is back! I feel like it's been such a long time since I've written anything! Time has just flown by. Poof! Gone just like that. Anyway, I re-read Zone-00 (I finally have all the volumes!) and noticed a few more details that made me think more on the back up behind our favorite gods. So here we are with the second chapter. (I realize it isn't technically a chapter but actually an update and now I feel weird if I don't write a lot per update)

Disclaimer: I don't own Zone-00 or its characters. I do, however, claim that the storyline is made up from my own inferences based on the minor details given from the original work.

Now, please enjoy this second installment of 'First Signs'!

* * *

_Poof_

Three of the notorious Four Generals blinked simultaneously, turning to their fourth comrade as he continued to bury his face into the shoulder of another.

"Excuse me, but it would appear that your face has become fairly attached to my yukata." Konnosuke raised an eyebrow as the ogre stayed unmoving.

"You smell like a human more and more every day…"

The third general, a beautiful, long legged yatagarasu by the name of Benten continued to eat his meal, having no real reaction to the increased amount of tension.

"If it annoys you so strongly, then you may leave."

Nine purple tails flailed about wildly for a brief moment before calming and collecting behind the fox.

The bird and wolf gods watched intently as the ogre removed his head from the fox's shoulder.

"Who have you been meeting with so often?"

"Why would that be any of your concern?" Konnosuke turned to glare into the ogre's stoic face.

"I am not your slave to monitor and control."

Kiyoami snorted, stood, and stormed out of the temple. The remaining three sat still and listened as their fiery companion roared into the forest, smacking down two or three trees.

"Well, thanks for the food," the masculine fenril chirped, putting down his utensils to stand and stretch.

"Oi, Murakumo! Where do you think you're going?" The yatagarasu stood too, following his large companion with his mischievous blue eyes. The wolf stopped in the door and waved back before continuing on without another word.

Benten let out a sigh from his pouty mouth, creating a draft that played with the loose bangs that hung over his face.

"I'm sorry, Konnosuke."

"Forget about it."

The fox had his eyes locked onto his plate that sat abandoned before him.

"It isn't your fault."

The bird nodded his blonde head. It went silent for a moment longer before Benten grew annoyed.

"I'd better be leaving," he announced, "just try not to kill each other."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Konnosuke sighed, "the humans would have a hay day if their gods grew angry with each other and decided to destroy the world."

Benten chuckled as he left the temple in the same direction as Murakumo.

"Forgive me, Kiyoami," the fox mewed into his sleeve.

~000~

"Good morning, my Lord husband."

Lord Shima looked up from his breakfast to see his young wife being lead into the room by his trusted robot servant.

"Good morning, wife."

She bowed to him before taking her seat opposite him as per usual.

"No!'

Yume froze suddenly. She watched her husband beckon her to sit beside him, allowing Sharaku to move her seat to the indicated setting. Yume slowly made her way towards her husband's side and, as she grew closer, he stood and smiled warmly.

"How do you fair today, wife?"

"I've been well, sir," she mumbled, watching Sharaku set her plate of food as she seated herself beside her husband.

Lord Shima carefully studied his young wife's worry stricken face. "Do you fear me so much?"

Her eyes snapped up to his. "Of course not, my lord!"

He cupped her chin with his hand and brought it close to his own.

"You are so very beautiful."

Yume blushed at this and tried to gently pull her face away.

"You flatter me, my lord."

He placed a quick kiss on her lips before letting her go. Shima continued to watch her as she smiled, blushed, and began to eat.

He sighed as he sat back. "I've been called off to Kyoto and the mainland for a large scale exorcism."

Yume looked up at him with concern. "But that will take many a day, my lord."

Shima nodded before continuing, "Starting tomorrow, I, along with Sharaku, will leave for a month's time."

She blinked and returned her attention back to her plate. "Then I wish you safe travels and for a successful outcome, my lord husband." He nodded again, watching as she timidly ate.

He stood and beckoned for Sharaku to follow. Once they were out of earshot, Lord Shima spoke.

"She doesn't care for me."

"Nonsense, Master."

Shima stopped and stared down the long, quiet hallway. "I knew getting married so unexpectedly wouldn't be to her liking." He brought up his hands to rub his temples. "She's still so young."

"She is very happy being with you, Master," the robot argued in his usual monotone voice.

"Mistress Yume has just been very distraught by her lack of sleep."

Shima pulled his arms back down and began to walk forward again, only much slower than before. "I'd thought she was feeling ill at night."

"If that is so, would it not mean she was expecting?"

The two finally reached a large room that had been molded into a study where past heads of the Shima household had taken refuge to ponder.

"I had thought so too, but she says it isn't so."

Shima sat down at a large desk where paperwork of recently completed exorcisms lay.

"That must be what is bothering her…" Shima sighed.

"Master?"

"She must feel incompetent or unworthy as she has yet to bear a child."

Sharaku stayed silent as he searched his knowledge banks to find he knew nothing of the emotions or thought processes of human females. He watched as his master pulled his long, majestic hair from its tie.

"Perhaps she fears for her fertility."

Another subject he knew almost nothing about.

Shima looked up at his robotic servant. He checked over his frame closely, observed every nut and bolt, every curve and edge. It was amazing how human-like his grandfather had constructed Sharaku so many years ago.

"A cyborg…" Shima whispered. His head snapped towards the large collection of books that adorned the farthest wall. Again, the robot watched, methodically observing his master's path towards the shelf in a frenzied search.

"What is it you seek, Master?"

"Here, Sharaku!" Shima shouted with exhilaration. From one of the highest shelves, the young exorcist pulled down a large paperback book that had browned with age and abuse. He brought it back to the desk, shoving several of the papers that occupied the space to the floor and began to skim through the notes. There were general instructions that were followed by personal insight from its author and notes on what could be done to create alternate personalities or functions for the desired cyborg. Shima looked up at Sharaku again, his halo of hair following his movements only seconds later.

"Will you help me with this, Sharaku?"

"Master?"

Shima turned back to the notes and smiled warmly.

"I'm going to construct a cyborg child for Yume."

~000~

"Gone?"

The timid Yume shook her blonde curls yes before smiling up to meet the gaze of her companion.

"He was called to an overseas exorcism and left just the other day."

Konnosuke grinned at her adorable shyness that he had so quickly become acquainted with. It had been a month since he had first saved her from falling into the river and, with each secret meeting they held together, it made him happy to see her becoming progressively more comfortable in his company.

"Aren't you from overseas?" he inquired. "Shouldn't he have taken you with him to visit your home country?"

Her smile slowly faded as she bent her head down and fixated her gaze on a blossoming lily that floated in the pond beside her feet.

"It would cost my husband all the more money to go to the exorcism and continue West just for me before turning back around to return us home."

"What a prude," the fox let out a low, aggravated growl.

"To not even be willing to spend a little extra money on your adorable wife..."

Yume blushed deeply as she gently elbowed Konnosuke.

"And besides that, I don't really have any family back in my home country to visit," she countered in a weak attempt to defend her husband. "That is why I was married off to Lord Shima."

Konnosuke sighed and took a look around.

They were seated in their usual hiding spot; Yume's garden. It was a large, open area located about the north and east edges of the estate. It had dips and turns every which way with flowers from all over the known world together in a medley of nature in all of its glory. In the farthest corner of the garden was a pond that began in a pool and slowly broke off into small streams that raveled about the entire garden. By the pool, however, lay the beginning of a tunnel that lead beyond the sight of prying eyes where Yume had first taken the fox god when one of their early meetings was interrupted by the rain.

He looked back at her to see she was watching his tail flick about slowly. He grinned mischievously, flicking the article about a bit more violently and in her direction. She was slightly startled at first, jumping when it hit her wrist. She looked up to see the god's dastardly expression and laughed as she began to lightly paw it.

"It is truly marvelous," Yume cooed, gently twirling the purple article about her forearm.

Konnosuke chuckled, flicking it away from her arm and into her face. "My tail is nothing more than an accessory I can use to express my level of annoyance."

Yume giggled. She peeked out of the tunnel to see the serenity that was her personal garden, given to her by her husband as a wedding gift. She'd absolutely hated to be gifted cut flowers. It upset her to see that something so innocent could so easily be moved from their content way of life.

She shivered suddenly, breaking her chain of thought. The autumn winds had begun to pick up and she felt a little less safe in her garden, even with her faithful, able bodied companion by her side.

"Would you care to come inside with me, Lord Konnosuke?"

"Only if the Shima home has an offering to the magnificent fox god," he sighed as if bored.

Yume raised a quaint eyebrow. "I believe my husband left incantations all about the entrance to my home," she said in a mocking tone, "Would such a gift appease the extravagant tastes of the great fox god?"

Konnosuke's tail tensed, causing Yume to giggle as she crawled out of the brush. "Bring it on! There is nothing that can stop my tail of wrath!"

The two laughed as they approached the manor, seemingly unaware of the ogre that stood by the edge of the garden, his terrifying demeanor hidden under the shadows of the surrounding forest.

"Konnosuke…"

* * *

Well there you have it. Thank you so much for reading and I'm sorry for taking so long to post this.

愛 Ecchi


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